A Heart in Disguise
by femphoenix
Summary: "They told me I was Evil and therefore I would never change. The darkness had been engraved so deeply into my heart that there would be no use in attempting to help me." Being disguised as Wilma, Regina takes it upon herself to find all the secrets of her mortal enemy Snow, yet in the end she comes face to face with feelings she thought she lost forever ago. Snow Queen
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N I got this idea after watching "The Evil Queen" with Rasta Gina. I would have never thought to write a story pairing Regina and Snow together, but you have to admit that it's possible after seeing that episode! I'm hoping that you'll all enjoy this story and where I'm wanting to go with it. It's actually really exciting to write. Red as well as Charming will also be making their appearances sometime in the story later on. _**

**_I don't want to beg, but please feel encourages to leave a review about what you think._**

* * *

_They told me I was Evil and therefore I would never change. The darkness had been engraved so deeply into my heart that there would be no use in attempting to help me. However, I don't believe I've always been "evil". That title was given to me based on actions that I did in attempt to revenge my true love. I don't believe in the concept that evil is born. On the contrary, it's made. Made from the evil deeds that only the strongest of emotions can conjure. Made from a life that no one should ever live. Made from the loneliness in ones heart because no one chose to stand by my side and even care to whisper "I'm there for you" and actually mean it. I haven't always been evil; I never wanted to be, but it's better to be feared than loved when no one wants to love you anyways._

**- Regina, the Evil Queen**

* * *

**A Heart in Disguise**

I awoke to a bright light shining through an animal hide canopy. My brows scrunched in confusion as I realized how hard the surface in which I laid was. This was _not_ my bed. Pushing myself up on my elbows I let out a small gasp when a pain shot through my leg.

_Where the hell am I?_ _Where are all of my pillows and—?_

"Careful," came a soft voice that made my skin crawl. I looked up and gasped under my breath as my eyes fell upon the woman I had loathed for so many years. The woman who _destroyed_ my life.

"Snow?"

"In the flesh," she replied with a smile and leaned down beside me. She reached for my blanket and I jumped, "It's okay. I'm just going to check your wound, alright?"

I gave her a curt nod before bringing a hand to my head which was throbbing like a thousand arrows had been shot through it. My bones ached all over. A hiss escaped my lips as a cool rag swept over my wound on my leg. Why was I here? Why was Snow being nice to me?

I could lean up and rip her heart out right then and there; no one would suspect a thing. I raised my hand, but stopped when I noticed the dirty rags upon me. That's when it dawned on me. I _wasn't_ myself, so to speak. Rumpelstiltskin had cast a disguise upon me in which he could only reverse.

"Snow White." I said in disbelief.

"You seem to have caught on to my name, but tell me. What shall I call you?"

Her smile was kind; if I didn't know any better I would have thought that she was an innocent human being. I looked off into the nothingness of the tent before speaking.

"Wilma; my name is Wilma."

"Well it's nice to Wilma. I'm glad I came when I did or else the injuries would have been more…fatal."

My leg jerked as she finished up her ministrations and I watched her tie another rag around it. I let out an uncomfortable cough and slumped back onto a blanket that had been made into a pillow. Why was I feeling so terrible?

"You have a fever," she commented as she dipped another rag into water and pressed it against my forehead. She stood to her feet and told me to get some more rest. She sat down a cup that contained water in case I became thirsty while she was gone. In the meantime she would go fetch something to eat. I tried to protest until I realized that I was indeed tired; more tired and sore than I had been in a while. As much as I objected the ground on which I laid, I was knocked out into a dreamless oblivion almost as quickly as the younger woman disappeared from sight.

* * *

The next time I awoke the sun was setting in the sky. The raven haired woman had started a fire and was cooking what looked like to be fish. Silently I watched her and took in another side of her that I didn't know existed. This wasn't a _princess_. This was a girl on the run that had adapted to such a lifestyle. I didn't think it would have been possible. I scoffed at the thought of me adapting to live in the filthy shadows of the forest. That would _never_ happen.

I went to swallow, but realized shortly after that my throat was dry. I reached over for the water that was left by me and took a large gulp of it. I nearly spat it out. The taste was horrible! Alas, I drank down to entirety of it as it fortunately quenched my thirst.

I looked back through the flap of the tent. This was my chance. She had absolutely no idea who I was. I twirled my fingers and willed a fireball to appear, yet nothing happened. _What?_ After several attempts I fell back onto the blankets and let out an irritated sigh. What had I been thinking when I asked Rumpel to disguise me? This was probably the dumbest move I had ever made! Now here I was with an injured leg, weak body, and was nearly helpless without magic.

_God damn those imbeciles not recognizing me as their Queen!_

It was their fault she was in this situation now. She did have to give into the relief that at least her head hadn't been cut off. Who would have imagined? The Queen's head?

My eyes wandered over to the glistening metal of a sword. I could easily slit the deceitful little Snow's throat before she even knew what was happening. Unfortunately I had been too slow as the flap of the tent was pushed back. The younger woman entered in with two portions of food. I would have rather starved to death than eat something that she cooked, but my stomach failed to agree as a surprisingly lovely aroma filled the tent. I scornfully took the food from her and eyed anywhere but her.

"You're already looking much better," she said as she began to eat, "By tomorrow you should be well to go."

"Go?"

"We can't stay here. Sadly the rumors are true that I am not on the good side of the Queen."

My ears perked up at the mention of myself and I lifted my face towards her.

"I'm not very familiar with the entire situation. Care to elaborate?"

I was curious to hear her side of the story; it was probably beyond ridiculous. I watched her carefully, but her face remained stoic. After another bite of food went down she sighed and her face took on a mask of sadness.

"It's an awfully long story."

"I have time, it seems."

"Well alright then. I knew the queen when she was younger. She was very sweet to me and honestly I looked up to her as a mother. Since my mother died I didn't have really any motherly figures save for the maids, but they can only do so much. My father saw this and took it upon himself to make me happy by asking for her hand in marriage," she laughed lightly at some unspoken memory, "I can't explain to you how happy I was. Somewhere in between things began to fall apart. I should have noticed the change in her, but I was so young and didn't realize it until the last moment."

I kept my face neutral as I sat my empty plate to the side. It took me a lot of will not to correct her on so many things she had left out, but I had to keep my character. I was _not_ Regina and therefore I knew absolutely nothing. By hearing what Snow had to say I could find a way inside of her heart and perhaps not take away her life, but destroy all that made her happy. This would be the perfect vengeance. Death would be the easy was out and I wasn't about to let her take it. I played the pawns in this game.

However, during her story I couldn't deny the strange ping in my heart that sounded when her face would light up whenever she would mention a happy moment. I was like a _mother _to her and that actually made her happy. Nevertheless, I knew this was just a mask that the princess had perfected over the years. She had most definitely told this story to many people she had come across in my predicament. It was the perfect way to gain people onto her side, but I would definitely not fall for it so easily.

"But I don't understand," I said, "why she wants you dead, dear."

Her eyes shot up at my use of the word _dear_. For a second there was a hint of recognition, but it hastily slid away when she realized who she was talking to. _Wilma;_ an ordinary villager who had been stuck in the crossfire. I silently scolded myself that I should be more careful. I could _not_ give myself away.

"That is where it all goes downhill," Snow replied, "She began to hate me. Every time I would try and converse with her it was shallow and dull. Her eyes were filled with hatred as if I had done something wrong, but I don't know what I did. I figured she would be happy to be by my father's side."

I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. If I had the chance to go back and murder that man I would do it a thousand times over. He was a bitter, self-centered man that only cared about his own desires. I shuddered at the unpleasant memories of his sweaty body overtop of mine as I lay there, unmoving, and willing myself to go to another place away from that pain. I refocused on the woman's words and pushed aside those memories.

"My maid had woken me up one morning to inform me that my father was dead," tears welled up in her eyes, "I couldn't believe it. I had already lost my mother several years back; why was it fair to lose another? I was too foolish to not see who the actual killer was, but by the time I realized it, I was too late. The queen had already taken the kingdom under her control accused me of murder. My _own_ father!" She wiped away a few lonesome tears that had escaped and looked away from my intrigued gaze, "I'm sorry. It's just that I haven't told this story to anyone in a while. Whatever I did to her, she hates me for it so much that she wants me dead."

I stared at her for a long time. Did she really believe that she was innocent? That she should be left to walk free? No, that wasn't about to happen. I should have known better than to think she would accuse herself for anything that had happened. Before I had another chance to comment she sat up and took my plate. When she came back to tended to my leg once again and commented that it was healing up nicely.

"Your fever has gone down too," she said when she placed a hand upon my forehead which made me flinch. The unknowing woman took it only as a sign that I was still in pain. "Get some more rest. I'm more than sure that you'll be fine in the morning."

She spoke this as she made up a spot near me and lay down. As much as I wanted to push myself away from the close vicinity I couldn't. She reached up and blew out a lantern that was hanging.

"I hope you sleep well; tomorrow we head out. Goodnight, Wilma."

I remained silent to her words and shut my eyes. I would get my revenge soon enough. In the meantime I had to build back up my strength and pick out every last weakness of Snow White. This was going to be a very uncomfortable journey, but interesting nonetheless.


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N I'm stoked that you guys are actually interested in this! I wasn't sure if anyone was going to take to this pairing. I'm a hard Swan Queener, but this one seemed like a nice experiment to try. If anyone has any ideas or maybe a scene you'd like to see just give me a shout and I'll see what I can do._**

I never had a problem waking up early. It was something I had to do just about every morning in order to get a head start in keeping track of my kingdom. Perhaps it was the fact that I slept on such an uncomfortable, unfamiliar surface that I craved to pull the blanket over my head in a whimper for more sleep. Then again I wasn't used to being sick either since I was able to ward away such toxins in my isolation of magic.

"Your fever is pretty much gone," Snow said as she placed a hand to my forehead. I wished to flinch away but the only movement that came was when I pushed myself up on my elbows, stretching from what felt like such a short amount of sleep.

I grumbled something unintelligent and slowly arose from my position, noticing, as I put pressure upon it, that my leg was in a small amount of pain but nothing I couldn't endure. The princess watched my movements carefully, making sure I was able to move easily on my own accord before handing me the same sword I had glanced upon only a day before.

I gave her a quizzical look. _Is she that foolish enough to hand me such a weapon that could easily end her life in a matter of a second?_ Taking the weapon within my grasp I looked at her and questioned with an authority that I knew I should let diminish while in character.

"Why on Earth would you give me such a weapon?"

She shook her head with a small smile and replied calmly, "Wilma, I understand that this type of living may be new to you, but this might actually save your life. I can trust that you know at least a little bit in how to defend yourself?"

I stared at her for a long moment for responding, wanting to reply with a snarky comment, but realized that if I wanted to keep up my disguise I best not.

"Yes, I suppose I know enough."

She nodded in response before telling me that we needed to head in South, away from the Evil Queen's kingdom. After this she began to take down the tent in which we both slept in the night before. She did it in such skill that it astonished me that such a princess had learned to survive so well in the wild. Still, that didn't change my mind on how I felt towards this woman. She had destroyed the only ounce of happiness I could have had and I was not about to let that slip from mind.

We began our journey shortly after and I wondered just where we were going. Snow told me that she didn't have anything place in mind exactly except for the goal of reaching the other kingdom that Regina did not control. This way it would be harder for the queen to send her men out in search of her.

I had to hand it to the girl that she was smarted than I gave her credit. The thing I didn't know was whether she had anything to look forward to or if she was just running in order to save her own skin. After all that had been placed on her, the bounty for her head in particular, she still remained cheerful and upbeat. If only I had the ability to make the best out of my disastrous life.

_I am _not_ comparing my life to hers! That's absolutely ridiculous!_

Everything had been packed in a small little sack that Snow carried on her back. She motioned for me to follow and I did, unsure of where we were going, but very aware that my appetite was arising. Only a mile into our hike my stomach grumbled louder than I would have liked it. I had hoped that the embarrassing sound had bypassed my traveling companion, but sadly I was wrong.

"I believe there is a river up ahead a few miles from here," she told me, "We'll grab a few fish on the way and follow it downstream."

I nodded without a word and continued to walk, my thoughts running through several scenarios. Perhaps I could catch the princess off guard during our travel and stab her from behind. _No that won't work. I need her to see me as I pull that last thread of light from her soul._ I could always slit her throat, but that seemed a bit messy for my preference. I wasn't about to get her foul blood all over my hands. Or maybe I could take advantage of the river and drown her?

_No,_ I argued to myself, _I need to find out what she has planned. If she's already made alliances with anyone that would jeopardize my kingdom I need to know._

As much as I hated this I had to tolerate it in order to gain as much information as possible. The more I found out then the more I could use to my advantage. Snow didn't have any family left, but she was bound to have made some alliances with at least one fairly powerful figure. Whomever it might be, I wasn't sure though. She may have had the towns in my kingdom on her side, but that would not stop me.

"How do you know where you're going?" I asked her in mere curiosity.

"When you're on the run you learn how to navigate the wild. A man in a small town taught me what I needed to know about following trails."

Eventually my feet began to ache and as I looked down I scolded at the leather moccasins the adorned my feet. All in the same instance I itched at my top. I missed my velvet direly. My silk. My soft cotton. This attire was much to hot for my liking. Looking over to the raven-haired woman I watched as she sped up a few paces ahead of me; I had slowed down to accommodate my feet.

No one would have ever taken this woman for a princess. All in all she was a completely different person, having adapted to the fugitive life that was thrown upon her. Her walk wasn't graceful as it should have been, but moved with a stealth that only a hunter could carry.

Giving into the heat, I tore off a strand of my sleeve and used it to tie my long hair up. At the sound of it, she turned her head and noticed that I had fallen several steps behind her. I gave her a smug smile as if everything was alright and we were in my territory – even though this was my kingdom, I knew nothing of the forests.

"You alright?"

"Yes, perfectly fine, dear," I replied rolling my eyes.

The frown upon her face made it clear that my words didn't fool anyone. I just waved my hand and began to walk forward, not paying attention to the sudden noise around me. The inconspicuous sound was static to my untrained ear, but did not go unnoticed by Snow.

"Get down!" she whispered in a low shriek and pushed me behind a tree as she drew out her bow and arrow. I scoffed inwardly at the direct contact she made, but was actually frightened for a second even though I didn't actually admit to that. Scanning the area for danger her eyes fell upon a few horses which, to my eye looked like a giant blob for how far away they were, were saddled with the Queen's men. _My _men.

"Don't be so foolish," I spat as she turned to me with wide eyes. These were my men and would listen to me. I pushed away from her and as I heard a crack of a tree branch.

The next events happened so fast that I couldn't even think. Snow muttered something under her breath before shoving me the other way and screaming at me to run. What I couldn't comprehend was that my foolish nonsense had alerted the knights of a presence and were now on our heels.

With such smooth skillfulness, Snow turned around as she ran and shot several arrows at the oncoming men. One unfortunate man fell was struck in the chest and consequentially slipped off his horse only to be trampled by the rest of the squad.

Holding tight to her bow, she grabbed my arm and led us away from them. Coming upon a dirt road, we found refuge behind a large fallen tree nearby. I dropped to the ground in attempt to catch my breath, but such a thing was hard since a pale hand was clamped over my mouth. The sounds of hooves grew louder, but shortly faded as they galloped further away.

"I think we lost them," Snow whispered and removed her hand. Her face held irritation and I watched as she closed her eyes, her brow furrowing. Placing two fingers on the bridge of her nose she let out a deep sigh to calm her nerves. Once she opened her eyes she kneeled down, too close in my opinion, and spoke quietly. "Look, I understand this may be difficult, but this world that you're in now with me is different. They can't be trusted. Under the oath of the Queen they will do _anything_ to appease her."

I bit my tongue and nodded with a harsh edge. Yes they really would do anything for me. I should have held Snow back so that she could have been captured, but then I would have been captured as well and most likely either locked up or executed. I wouldn't even dare try them I was there queen and risk getting my head chopped off again.

Once we were up and moving again we began to walk in the most surprising way. After ripping off a WANTED poster for Snow White and tearing it to shreds, rather than taking the road she led us completely away from it. I was happy though that we didn't take one direction as it was pretty sure it was to a village in which I had my men slaughter everyone. I didn't regret doing so; I just knew that if Snow saw such a thing then I would be held accountable for it all and would have to listen to how terrible of a person I was.

_But it's not me who is the terrible one. It's you, dear. All of this is because of you._

"Why don't we just follow the road?" I asked her in irritation. My feet did not like this all one bit and I was pretty sure that the sun was burning my face.

"It's too busy; they'll find us that way."

"That makes sense," I muttered, feeling a bit less clever than I wanted to admit.

She looked over to me and placed a soft hand on my shoulder as we walked. Her face was so serene as if this was her life that she had always wanted to live. Was it just a mask she had created? Was there something underneath?

"Not too much longer, I promise," as she spoke she reached into her bag and pulled out a small pouch of berries, "Here. Since our first route was a bit changed we won't be coming across that river. These should do you over until we can find a place to settle."

"Thanks," I murmured and took them from her not even bothering to ask if she had something to sate her own appetite.

_If these poison me I swear to God that I will kill him personally for his cruel sense of humor._


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N Sorry for the wait; don't know what the hell happened. I knew what I wanted to write, but it just wouldn't come out. I hope the length of this chapter makes up for the wait. Also a side note: I used a phrase from the song "Head" by Otep; I wanted to give credit since it sadly is not mine. You should check it out if you're into female rock/metal. One of my favorite bands._**

**_I encourage you all to leave a review; tell me what you like and what you don't. Is this story flowing okay? It seems like it is in my head, but we all know how that goes. _**

Contrary to what Snow had promised, we had been wandering aimlessly through the woods for hours. Or at least that is what it seemed like to me. Finally my feet gave out and I dropped to her leaf covered ground, sweat pouring down my face from the unforgiving sun.

"Please," I told between breaths to Snow who had stopped a second after noticing her companion wasn't beside her, "I can't go any further."

A concerned look spread across her face and as she walked over to me, sliding her hood down. I didn't understand how she could wear those clothes. Wasn't she hot? Plus, they looked absolutely horrendous! Like she was someone from the wild. When I felt her hand touch my shoulder I pushed it away.

"I thought you said we have just a _little _bit to go!" I scolded.

"We've only been walking for two hours."

"_Only _two hours?"

My eyes lit ablaze when a roaring laugh escaped from her lips. I sat there, dumbfounded with complete irritation, staring at her. If I didn't find a way to vent my irritation without stabbing her in the eyes with a twig I was going to go insane.

"You think this is funny? I'm covered in dirt. My hair feels like straw and my feet are about to fall off!"

She covered her mouth and shook her head. Once regaining her composure she offered me her hand in which I only stared at for the longest time as if imagining it to set on fire.

_Which I could very easily do if it wasn't for that dreadful imp!_

"I'm sorry," she smiled at me softly, "I'm just not used to traveling with anyone. It's nice to have someone to talk to even if it is bickering."

I rolled my eyes and pushed myself up without even bothering to glance at her offered hand. I didn't need help from her…

At least that is what I wanted to believe.

"Come on, then. I'll show you how to hunt."

* * *

"Three fingers only. That's it. Now hold it straight," Snow told me, placing a hand on my elbow. I instantly flinched at the impact and let go of the arrow without thinking. Watching the arrow plummet to the dirt, she laughed and drew another from her quiver. "Relax, Wilma. Here try again."

"This is ridiculous," I scolded as I held onto the string aiming towards a tree with an "X" carved into it as a target. Who would have ever guessed that a mere princess would be teaching the Queen archery in the depths of the woods? I never saw myself learning archery in the first place, so I suppose I could have seen this as a bonus.

_Hardly. I highly doubt that learning this will benefit me any bit in my coming future._

The princess remained quiet, disregarding my comments as if they were nothing but a whisper of the wind. Instructing me to keep concentration, I waited until her words and let the arrow go. Once again, it dropped like a bird from the sky almost as soon as I released it.

I heard her sigh from behind me, but when I turned around to look at her, her face wasn't irritated. Her cheeks pulled up as she displayed a bright smile. It seemed that nothing could unnerve this girl which I could not seem to fathom. What was her weakness?

"Let me show you," she held out her hand and I handed over the bow. She moved in one swift motion as she pulled out another arrow and loaded it, aiming towards the target. Flying through the air fast, it struck its mark with ease. She tried to hold it back, but a pleased smile pulled at her lips.

"It looks difficult," she told me as she handed the bow back over to me, "but after you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature."

"I can see that."

"Hm?" she tilted her head to the side.

"Back when we were running from the queen's men you were taking them down with such precision. How were you able to do that so easily?"

"Instinct simply. You pick your target and when you shoot you don't aim for where they are, but where they _will_ be."

I nodded slowly, looking at her strangely as I took in the passion that filled her voice. It was so strange. Such words should have been foreign falling off of her lips, yet they seemed strangely natural. I would eventually have to accept that this was the new Snow not the innocent little girl I had saved from the horse so many years ago.

"Try again," she told me.

Taking another arrow, I steadied myself and drew the string back. I could feel my muscles tensing up as she stepped closer once more and placed her hand upon my elbow lightly. This time it seemed gentler than usual and without an ounce of force.

"Hold it closer to your face," she whispered, a bit closer than I should have been comfortable with, yet as she told me to relax I could only do as instructed. I took a deep breath. As the air escaped between my lips I let go of the string and watched as the arrow glided through the air, whistling softly and hit directed between the "X". My eyes widened as I felt a bizarre leap of joy rushing through me.

"…I did it," I said in a tiny breath, still shocked that I was able to do such a thing.

"Whoa, look at that! See I told you that you could do it."

I felt the bow slipping out of my hands that had grown weak and I stepped forward towards the tree ahead of me. I did it. I _actually_ did it. It was such a tiny accomplishment – one that I should have scoffed at and claimed that _of course_ I had done it – but I wasn't the queen. Not now at least.

"You alright, Wilma?"

My caramel eyes flickered over and met her smiling face, her bow thrown over her shoulder. I saw her as a friend for just a moment until I shook my head. What was I thinking?

"Yes, perfectly fine, dear."

"Come on," she waved with her hand, "Let's go find a place to settle down. The sun will be setting soon."

* * *

We found refuge in a small cave that Snow had deemed as abandoned. The little cavity had just enough room that we could relax freely around a fire that Snow was currently building. She had managed to shoot down a bird on our journey, but we both knew that wasn't enough to sate both of us. Me being me, I had scared off all of the other options for dinner.

I had to contain a snicker when I had seen a flash of frustration skimmer across the brunette's face when I yelled at her for almost killing a dear. I had taken more hearts of humans than I could remember, but when it came to animals I was much more compassionate. I knew we had to eat, but I couldn't help it.

"We all have to eat, Wilma," Snow had told me with a frown, "It's the cycle of life. Do you think the wolf thinks about the deer as he stabs his teeth into his flesh?"

I raised my eyebrow at the vivid description. I suppose she had a point, but I still didn't want to be around when my dinner was killed right before my eyes. Who would have ever known the Evil Queen to have a soft spot? That's because everyone chose to _only _pay attention to my dark actions and overlook any instances of humanity.

"In that final look, does the deer forgive the wolf?" I said almost to myself without thinking.

"What?"

I looked over to see Snow's hazel eyes gazing at me quizzically.

"Nothing; it's just something I heard once from…a friend."

It was actually a quote I had heard a hunter say once, but I never thought upon it until now. Besides being a hunter the only significance he held in my life was keeping my bed warm at night when I felt the need to have him there.

"I've heard it before," Snow replied which garnered a curious raise of my eyebrow.

"Have you now, dear?"

"Mhm. You hear a lot when you travel. It's an interesting concept to think about."

"Yes, I suppose it is."

It wasn't too much longer when we had stumbled across the cave. Now I sat on top of a blanket I had laid out, thankful to finally be able to rest my legs. This day had been way too long for my liking. I watched lazily, without an ounce of care that perhaps I could have assisted, as Snow tried to start the fire.

"Difficulty, dear?"

She looked up at me with what I could have sworn was a glare.

"The wood is damp."

"How unfortunate," I replied as I examined my nails, grimacing severely at the grime and dirt building up under them. I was screaming internally, begging for a hot, steamy bath. Whenever I saw that wretched imp again I was going to make him pay. If this was some sort of joke he was trying to play I was definitely _not_ enjoying it.

"Why don't you try and get it started while I grab something to eat?"

"I think not."

"Oh, come on. It'll be dark soon and since _someone_ scared away our last opportunity for dinner…" I rolled my eyes and went to object, but she spoke up again. "Unless _you_ want to go and—"

"—absolutely not!" I snapped.

Her warm laughter echoed off the rocks of the cave.

"You know sometimes I swear you act like you're royalty or something." With that I instantly froze, my heart picking up speed frantically quick. No this was too soon, but suddenly I heard her snicker lightly again before giving me a wink and saying she'd be back soon.

Once she finally departed I slumped against the cool rock and breathed a loud sigh of relief. Lifting my pant leg, I examined my wound that Snow had fixed up to find that it was healing surprisingly well. It only throbbed from the enormous amount of hiking we had done. Finally I was alone with only myself. I now had time to really think about everything. I had been with Snow for only two days now and she already trusted me. As much as I hated this way of life, the end result would be Snow's heart on a platter along with every other traitor that had taken her side.

A soft breeze swept through the cave bringing its forthcoming night chill with it. That was when I remembered that without a fire we would be wrapped in darkness and Snow wouldn't be able to find her way back. Not that I cared if she got lost – she wouldn't anyways with the moon gleaming down in its fullness, giving plenty enough light in the night – but I was hungry. My growling stomach that I tried to ignore was reaching its point of eating me from the inside.

Even though I was well aware of my situation, I still couldn't help waving my hand and urging the wood to set ablaze, but no matter how hard I tried there was nothing. If anything, my mind was smoking from irritation. Sighing, I picked up the flint and steel Snow had left and tried to get a spark.

After several tries there was a tiny flicker that caught hold of the leaves, spreading to the twigs and eventually caught hold to the logs. I found myself smiling like a fool. That would be two accomplishments in a day.

_Quit it!_ I snapped at myself,_ this is ridiculous. I would have been able to have a fire an hour ago or better yet a full stomach. Or _even better_ I would have been in my warm, silky sheets._

At the blatant reminded I shot up and stormed out of the cave, arms out in sudden rage. I called out for the pathetic little goblin that put me in this mess. I called out to him as if I were calling out for God to strike me down with a bolt of lightning.

"Rumpelstiltskin!" I hollered at the top of my lungs, not giving a care in the world at this point that Snow might hear me.

I didn't know how long I had been screaming like a fool, but I was so lost in my own world that I didn't hear the leaves crunching as something approached through the darkening forest. It wasn't until a low growl echoed across the air that I turned around, eyes wide, as a great black wolf bared his teeth. Its eyes gleamed with blood thirst as I watched crimson drip from its mouth onto the ground.

I was frozen in place staring into the golden eyes that reflected my impending death. This wasn't an ordinary wolf; its body was double the size of any of its kind I had ever seen. I remembered hearing about a giant wolf running rampant on full moons, but had only rolled my eyes. Such things were none of my concern even if the creature was devouring innocent souls. None of that mattered; they were all traitors and peasants that were keeping me away from having my true happiness.

At last I finally broke free from my shackles and I began to edge back slowly. I didn't know how I was going get away from this monster. The only idea that I had was to slip inside of the cave. The closer I got to the rocks, the louder the animal growled. As soon as I reached our encampment, realization of how stupid this move was hit me. I was now trapped between the rocks and the wolf. I was never this foolish; there had to have been a reason I chose to do this.

As I backed myself into the rocks there was a silver gleam in the corner of my eye and that's when I knew just why I had come back here. Testing faith, I leaped forward and wrapped my hands around the hilt of the sword just as I heard the giant wolf leap forward. It stopped only a foot away as I held the blade out.

"Get back!" I ordered the creature, but my voice was shaking, mixing with the ferocious growl coming from the black beast. _I am your queen! _"I mean it. I'll use this!"

What nonsense was I thinking? Talking to the creature of the moon as if it could hear me? I could feel wet pearls sliding down my face, but I was too proud to scream. I wouldn't allow myself, the Queen, to fall under anyone or anything. I should have called out for help; Snow could have come to my aid, but I just couldn't do it.

The wolf snarled once more before crouching down in order to leap. It was then that I squeezed my eyes shut and I swore that I saw my life flash before my eyes. I saw Daniel holding me within his arms as I leaned in to kiss him, promising that we would run away together. Unfortunately that was the only image I held onto, the rest of my life had been a cruel joke of darkness. However, I suddenly heard a loud yelp which elicited a sharp cry from the depths of my throat, but when I opened my eyes I was still there. Breathing. Very much alive. The animal was leaning forward as if it were trying to cradle its arm. An arrow had penetrated its fur and was now spilling dark crimson very similar to what had been dripping out of its mouth.

"Get away from her," said a familiar voice that I had never been happier to hear. I almost cried out for joy, but had enough sense to contain myself. She stepped towards the beast with her bow ready as the wounded animal continued to snarl. "I know you can understand me," she spoke to it, "we mean you no harm. Now go before I put an end to your ways."

The brunette archer narrowed her eyes as she firmly held her aim. Watching with caramel, teary eyes, the giant wolf let out a snarl before leaping out of the cave and back into the wild though not as graciously as it could have with its wounded arm.

I was stunned beyond belief. My life had almost ended so abruptly and just to make things even worse, my life had been saved by my enemy. I remained idle in my stance except for the sword that had slipped from my grasp, clattering with the dirt as it collided. All I saw was the image of the beast snarling, its golden eyes piercing into my soul as if it were looking into me. It knew I wasn't worth letting live. It knew that my heart was so black that I had allowed it to kill so many villagers. It _knew_ that deep down in the depths of my heart I was alone, without anyone to care for me, and that my departure from this world would not be missed, yet somehow here I was.

I barely felt the soft hand that touched my arm. The calming words that echoed through the air seemed like nothing but a whisper. I cannot recall how it happened but somehow I had ended up leaning against the woman who had her arms wrapped around me tightly.

"Are you hurt?"

"N-no," I finally mustered as I realized the strange situation I was in and quickly pulled away, not taking a second thought that the woman's closeness had actually been comforting.

* * *

I wasn't fond at all with how things had played out, but I couldn't complain that my hunger had been sated after a long enough wait. The princess had managed to shoot down a rabbit in which she wasn't too pleased about, but I was reminded about the earlier conversation. The cycle of life.

I lay down opposite of her, the fire burning dimly between us, as she made preparations for the sleep that was soon to come. We laid there silently for what seemed like eons until I finally spoke up, curiosity getting the best of me.

"You spoke to it as if it could understand you."

I could feel her eyes on me, but I refused to meet them, keeping them firmly planting in the darkness above me.

"It was a child of the moon," she waited to see if I had anything to say, "once a month, when the moon is full, it is said that there are a cursed few who turn into wolves or better known as werewolves."

"And you just somehow _knew_ that this so called 'werewolf' would listen to you?"

"Well, no, but there has been talk of a few wolves that have overcome their beastly manner and can use their human mind rather than animal instinct."

I couldn't help, but snicker at the ridiculousness of what she was saying. A human turning into a wolf? But then again I was one acquainted with magic and knew that if you could muster it up in your brain, it would be possible some way or another, even if the consequences were dire.

I let the conversation slip into the night as I closed my eyes, yet I couldn't seem to quiet down my mind. I was a complete stranger to this woman, yet she had saved my life two times now. Why would she risk her own life to save me?

"Why didn't you let me die?"

It was quiet for a few breaths and I immediately assumed that Snow had fallen asleep, but was surprised when I heard her shift. Looking over I saw that she had sat up, the glowing embers making her peculiar stare more irregular.

"You honestly believe I would have left you on your own?"

"Seeing as— from what I've heard about you—"

"—whatever you have heard about me is false if you even think for a second that I would abandon anyone in need," she sighed into the growing darkness, "I have heard things that the queen has accused me of, but they are far beyond the truth."

"It is said that you only care about yourself."

"No, I want to walk away from this alive and I have no one else, but that does not mean my heart is cold. As much as I would love to take back the kingdom that is rightfully mine, she has too much power on her side. At this point all I wish is to get as far away from this place as possible. Start a new life and maybe have a family of my own. So maybe that may be considered selfish, but I have done nothing wrong. On my journey I am more than willing to lend a helping hand to someone in need."

I was astounded by the response I received. Was she being completely truthful? Or was this just an act that she had told many travelers she had met.

"Would you ever consider forgiving her? The Queen I mean?"

"Of course I would."

"…you would?"

She tilted her head to the side and smiled at me.

"Everyone deserves a second chance no matter what has been done. All I would ask of her is that she would come clean. Admit to everything that she is done and say she is sorry. That is all I ask. I know there is a heart somewhere deep down, disguised by all of that darkness that shrouds her."

I couldn't conjure up the right words to respond. If I did then my voice may have even cracked as a silent tear slid slowly down my cheek. I was thankful that the fire had finally died down to hide my astonished face. Turning away from the woman that I knew was waiting for an answer; I closed my eyes and begged for sleep.

Someone saw beneath the darkness. Someone was willing to forgive me. The only question now was whether I was willing to forgive her.


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N I apologize for the wait; I just got a job and don't have as much time to work on my stories. I'll still try to get them written in a decent amount of time. This chapter would have been longer, but I'm far too tired today to add to it. I hope you enjoy the route I've decided to take._**

**_Let me know what you think :)_**

The nights were growing ever so cooler as the next week passed by. It wasn't much to worry about, yet when I heard we were treading closer to the mountains I became unnerved. One reason was that I didn't sleep well in the cold. It was one thing to be wrapped up in extravagant blankets in the comfort of my castle, but to be out in the wild? I hadn't even been aware that we were headed in that direction. That was problem number two. Hiking up a mountain was definitely _not_ in the plan. I should have realized where we were headed when the trails had started to become steeper each growing day, but alas the blistering sun was beginning to slow my thinking. Or that's just the excuse I was going with.

Snow's big plan was to take the path through the mountains that many people didn't dare to tread. There were several reasons for labeling such a journey hazardous. It was a long and tedious, and rumors said that the ones who made it out alive were exhausted and better off dead. The days were cold and the nights were close to unbearable. However, this seemed to not deter the princess at all. In fact she seemed excited.

I had taken the time to ask her why she was choosing such a course when we could easily go around the mountain to get to her destination, but she refused to back down.

"Taking the easy route seems logical," she told me, "and therefore they will assume I will take it – that is if they've caught on to us – but if I were to give in, then the chances of them capturing me, well both of us, is highly probably. By taking the road less traveled I am risking much, but either way we could end up dead."

_So why take the way that threatens to freeze you in your sleep? Wouldn't you rather die at the hands of my men than freeze to death?_

That is when it dawned on me. If she allowed the Queen's men to capture her then she would have lost the fight. If she were to die at the hands of Nature then so be it in her eyes. She would die a free woman. It was a hard scenario to get out of my mind – the picture of Snow White shivering in the icy wind. I couldn't tell whether it was from the irony or that perhaps it actually bothered me. I wouldn't ponder much longer on it though; such thoughts didn't matter. She wouldn't die at the hands of either. It would be me that takes her heart in the end.

I personally had never ventured into the mountains and by looking into Snow's eyes I could tell that she hadn't either, but she was now a traveler right? She's heard many stories and was wise enough to know which path to tread? At least I hoped so. The mountains, not mattering whom you venture with, are a dangerous fate to play with, but I had come too far to turn back now. If I were to leave the company of the woman I most despised I would very much end up dead in this disguise, for I knew the Rumpelstiltskin had abandoned me.

He wasn't coming.

Just like everyone else he had abandoned me to allow the darkness to overtake.

After endless nights of calling his name when Snow was out for food, the realization that I had been tricked stabbed me so deeply inside of my chest that I thought I might break down then and there. This was not fair. What had I done to deserve this fate?

I refused to answer such a question, for if I actually took the time to respond I would most likely drown in my wicked ways. The thing in which I did ponder was the mess he was most likely causing in my disappearance. Being out in the wild there was no way to know about the current event events; therefore I only assumed the worst and treaded onward.

* * *

"There is a town about a day's hike down the road," Snow said as she examined the signs on the road.

"I'm assuming you wish to make a stop?"

, "If we are planning on venturing into the mountains then yes."

_Oh, you make it sound as if I have a choice in the matter, dear. _

"As you wish, _Princess_," I mocked under my breath. If she heard it, she made no acknowledgement.

I was well aware that Snow's pouch of gold was rather low; I had snuck a glance at it a few days ago thinking that maybe I could snatch it and run off. However, the pathetic animal-hide pocket only held enough to buy me a loaf of bread.

Walking by her side, I noticed a similar look on her face that had been plastered there since the morning we left the cave. I had fought the urge to ask her what was wrong, but my restraint was growing smaller and smaller as if I was a teenager again saving her from that runaway horse.

My mind flashed back to the morning after the wolf attack_. _

_She had already packed up everything save for the bed I was sleeping on. Snow was unaware that I was had woken up and I watched silently as she stared out of the cave into the growing morning._

_"Snow?" I asked in which her head turned to meet my sleepy gaze, quickly slipping something back under her the collar of her shirt._

_"Oh, Wilma. How long have you been awake?"_

_"Not very long."_

_Yet it was long enough to watch as she fiddled with something within her hands. A necklace? I was too far away to make out anything except for the shining silver. She had twirled the pendant between her thumb and forefinger, but it quickly disappeared at the sound of my voice as if it were a secret._

_"Are you-" I bit my tongue, but decided just to ask anyways, "Is everything okay?"_

_"Perfectly fine."_

_She offered me a smile that could fool anyone but me as she reached inside her bag and tossed me an apple. I couldn't help but smile at the irony. Poisoned apples had always been my signature. _

I couldn't contain my irksome concern any longer. She had been far too quiet for my liking.

"Why have you been so quiet?" I suddenly asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"Ever since we left the cave you've been acting strange. Why?"

"It's nothing."

The younger brunette had hastened her walk as if trying to run away from my words, yet she came to a halt when I reached out and grabbed her arm. It wasn't forceful, yet the look on her face revealed a look of shock.

"Don't tell me it's nothing," I spoke sternly in a way that would have made my enemies cringe, yet it didn't sound the same with the voice I had.

She dropped her head and opened her mouth, yet quickly shut it. She pursed her lips, refusing to meet my curious gaze that possibly resembled worry.

"That morning after the wolf attack it dawned on me that I never asked you where you were from. What your life was like. What kind of family you came from. It never occurred to me that perhaps I had pulled you from a life of great worth back in the village. This is all new to you and I never even asked if this is what you wanted."

Still she wouldn't meet my gaze as she let out a defeated sigh. It was then that I noticed my hand was still on her arm and I slowly pulled it away.

"This is what has had you worried?"

She looked like a child as she nodded and wearily met my gaze.

"I was afraid that you would leave." My eyes widened in surprise. She was worried about that? I had never thought of how lonely a life of running could be. "I thought that if I did ask you then you would realize what a mess you were in with me and turn back. Wilma, I'm sorry…"

"My mother…" I let the words trail off my tongue as if I were trying to melt ice, "She was the daughter of a miller. My father was a very sweet man who taught me how to ride when I was little. We lived on a farm a ways from here. It was really lovely, but one day my mother decided to leave us for reasons of her own and I never saw her again. My father eventually died…of a broken heart."

It was strange at how I was able to twist the truth down into a lie that sounded perfectly believable. Even though it was really me who pushed my mother into the looking glass, the mother I always yearned for was never really there in the first place. I could have mentioned that my father was a coward, maybe twisted it into the story by saying he didn't make her stay, yet I couldn't.

Snow was stunned to silence at the sudden admittance. The only words that were to leave her lips were a soft, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know…"

"It's okay, dear. I suppose you saving me was worth it. Just like you I don't have much to live for anymore."

I bit back a small sob at the admission to how lonely I actually was. That and the fact I had just compared my own life to Snow's.

"…So, you will stay?"

I looked at her once more and offered her a kind smile.

"Of course I will."

* * *

It was strange to admit that I was growing fond of the younger brunette. It was safe to say that I was officially a long term traveling companion of Snow's. Ever since the discussion about my family, although it had been a lie, she had opened up to me more and I realized that we were more alike than I had previously thought.

She had a father who wanted what was best for his daughter just as mine, yet _how_ they chose to show their love was different. While King Leopold showered his little princess with anything and everything, all my father did was offer a few words of support. I knew he meant well, but in the end they were nothing but empty words. If he was truly loved me – if he wasn't the coward that he was – he would have stopped my mother from the years of abuse that eventually led to my downfall into darkness. All those hurtful, abusive years engraved into my skull, one etched upon my lip from a hard slap of a heavily bejeweled hand.

I found out how her mother died. Not that I didn't know, but hearing it through her made it so much more personal and heartbreaking. Eva was on her deathbed when Snow made it her duty to save her. She had been offered a way, yet as a consequence another life would be taken. However, in the end Snow couldn't do it. Her heart was far too good to give in to such dark ways.

I marveled at her strength. If that had been me I wouldn't have been able to resist the urge. Cora was wicked, that much was true, yet she was still my mother. She only wanted what was best for me even if she had a screwed up way of showing it.

I watched the pain swirl in hazel eyes as she talked about her mother. She truly was alone. Abandoned, by herself, to tread the cold all because of…no it wasn't my fault. I did what I had to do.

Besides, Leopold was nothing more than a filthy bastard seeking out his own guilty pleasures behind closed doors with me as the target. He may have loved his daughter, but there was no love in those eyes as he intruded inside of me. I was nothing more than a body to keep his bed warm. I always wondered if he even saw my face on the night of our wedding. The endless tears that cascaded down my face. No, I bet he only saw his beloved Eva.

And if it wasn't for Snow being "good" the king would have had his dear wife. Cora would have had no way to push me onto the king. There would be no child to ruin me and Daniel's chance at love. The Stable Boy. _My _Daniel. If it wasn't for Snow, Daniel and I would be riding through the meadow right now, free. There would be no thirst for power. We would have our own little cottage by the lake. Perhaps even have a child. A family. But that was all a dream.

A broken, shredded dream that would never be true.

And it was all because of her.

Now I couldn't even bear a child. The darkness had corrupted everything inside of me to the point where having a child would be impossible. It would rot inside of my womb before it even had the chance to see the light and be eaten alive by the raging chaos running through my veins.

This all is what kept me remembering my place in this journey. To Snow I was a friend, but to me she was nothing more than my enemy. The girl who stole my happiness away from me. How could I forgive her? That was just the thing. I couldn't. Perhaps this rage would be my downfall, but I didn't care. I had to remember that Snow held no place in my life and that she was to be wiped off the face of this earth by my hand. This was all for _him._ For Daniel.

* * *

The town wasn't too far now. In a few more hours we would hopefully be there. Stuck in my own thoughts, I nearly rammed straight into Snow as she came to a sudden halt. Shushing me to silence as I quickly went to complain, there came the sounds of hooves hitting the dirt. I became aware of how close we were to the road and hid behind a thick cover of bushes.

After pushing aside the foliage I was able to see the white and red emblem upon the silver armor of the knights that rode on white horses, pulling behind them a carriage. Behind that marched several other knights. The carriage was most definitely carrying someone of great worth.

"Perfect," I heard Snow whisper to my right and I shot a look at her, my eyebrow raised high.

"I beg your pardon?"

"We're running short on gold."

"I'm still failing to follow, dear."

She laughed quietly, shaking her head, as a devious grin slid across her face that I found vexingly endearing. She leaned in close to me and for a second my heart jumped.

"I've heard of a man who robs from the rich," she said lowly into my ear, the sound of her voice sending a chill down my spine, but then I realized what she was insinuating. My jaw fell open and I gaped at her with big eyes.

"Are you insane!?"


	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N I know I am really sucking lately when it comes to updating. I cannot apologize enough. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I do hope that it shows. Thanks for all of you that are leaving reviews, following, and favoriting._**

**_I highly encourage leaving reviews; they make me giddy. _**

* * *

_"We're running short on gold."_

_"I'm still failing to follow, dear."_

_She laughed quietly, shaking her head, as a devious grin slid across her face that I found vexingly endearing. She leaned in close to me and for a second my heart jumped._

_"I've heard of a man who robs from the rich," she said lowly into my ear, the sound of her voice sending a chill down my spine, but then I realized what she was insinuating. My jaw fell open and I gaped at her with big eyes._

_"Are you insane!?"_

* * *

"That is a carriage of royalty!" I hissed under my breath, "Not only that but they are surrounded by knights. Do you honestly believe you can rob from them?"

The devious smile on her face only grew wider accompanied by a twinkle in her eyes that made my heart feel odd. I shook my head to rid the feeling. I tried one last time to object at another angle.

"The guards are already on high alert. These may not be the Queen's men, but if they have any sense they will surely turn us in for a wealthy bounty."

She shrugged nonchalantly as if she didn't care at this point, yet I knew better than that. We truly were running low on gold and this may have been the best and only option. The voices screamed inside of my head, yet a tiny, strangled voice made its way upward. It was the essence of my youth and it screamed for adventure. I was astounded by the words that left my lips.

"What's your plan?"

"Help!" I cried out to the oncoming carriage. The two white steeds pulling the coach came to a halt upon hearing my shouts. "Help! Oh God, please!"

In order to slow the carriage, we had managed to cut down a midsized tree that fell across the length of the road. With the help of Snow, I was able to position myself underneath the tree to where it looked as if it had fallen on me. Hoping, to whatever resided within the Heavens, that the plan would work, I had waited for the coach to arrive.

The door swung open once they had come to a complete stop and out stepped a blonde haired man. I conjured up the best plead I could as he stepped forward, his kind face contorting into concern. I recognized the emblem of a near kingdom as that of King George and my eyes widened. Not only were we robbing from royalty, we were robbing from a _prince._

"It's going to be alright," he said soothingly, leaning down. He turned his head and motioned for his knights to remove the tree, but it was too soon.

From the corner of my eye I saw Snow sneaking from the depths of the bushes towards the open door of the carriage. However, she hadn't had nearly enough time to acquire anything valuable. We needed more time, but how?

The men went to lift the tree, but I let out a startling scream. Fake tears began to pour from my eyes. "No! _Please_ don't. I think something is broken."

He held up his hand towards the knights and then looked down at me, placing a gentle hand upon my arm.

"It's okay, miss. We'll get you out and to a doctor."

I shook my head like a child, a loud sob leaving my throat. Oh the wonders of acting! Raising a finger towards his chin, he sat up for a moment to think.

A bit the inside of my cheek and begged for her to hurry it up. I couldn't hold them for much longer. My heart was pounding in my chest as nervous sweat was beginning to make appearance. Perhaps this wasn't the greatest plan ever. Furthermore, how was _I _supposed to get away from them once they realized this was a trap? Snow could easily sneak away, leaving me behind to their mercy.

I heard the jumbling of words coming from the Prince's lips, but nothing more as my eyes zeroed in on the brunette slipping out of the carriage and looking my way. Her gaze shifted for a moment towards the woods and fear engulfed my senses.

I barely felt the tree being lifted off of me as one of the knights leaned down to help me up. I leaned into him, not exactly playing my part, but because I couldn't believe that the woman was about to leave me high and dry.

Finally gaining my own thoughts back and coming back to the moment, I was able to catch a peculiar look on the prince's face as he examined the end of the tree that had been cut. The realization of what was happening dawned on him.

His eyes narrowed as his eyes flashed towards me, but quickly averting as his gaze caught hold of Snow, a pouch within her grasp. Her first instincts should have been to run and leave me there, but the very opposite happened.

Suddenly everything happened in a blink of an eye that I could hardly capture what was happening. Arms grabbed me from behind, seizing me. I heard the prince shout something to his knights as Snow began to run towards a steed that wasn't connected to the carriage. I barely even caught her movement as an arrow left her hand, impacting the man on the horse.

He hit the dirt with a loud thud as the others quickly surrounded Snow, yet she remained unfazed. She hopped onto the white steed and charged straight through them, knocking several to the ground. The prince drew his sword as the brunette charged directly towards us.

The grip on me grew slack and when I turned my head I realized that an arrow had barely missed me, hitting the shoulder of my captor. He went down to the ground gasping in pain. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the flash of silver coming towards my direction and I nearly screamed.

Before anything tragic could happen I felt strong hands grabbing me as I heard Snow shouting at me to do something. All in the same second I realized that she was pulling me up onto the horse. I used all of my strength to leap onto the horse.

My surroundings were a blur as the horse galloped at an ever growing speed away from King George's knights. Angry shouts were directed at us ordering to follow. Choosing to make the chase worthwhile, Snow darted into the woods dodging trees left and right.

Upon instinct, I wrapped my arms around her waist and held on for dear life. Of course I had ridden before, but never like this. I feared that if I let go I would fall off, so I pressed myself into the brunette's back, squeezing my eyes shut.

* * *

I was unsure on how far we had ridden through the woods, but it was apparent that we had lost the knights. How we kept evading them was beyond me. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, my head resting on a shoulder. My arms were still locked around a slender waist and I couldn't do much but lean into the warmth. It was a strange sense of security that was encasing me. A soft hand flittered across my own and I had a strong urge to wrap my fingers around hers, but it was gone before I had the chance.

"Wilma?" she called out and it took a few more times before I realized she was calling for me.

I snapped back to reality and nearly fell off the horse, the sudden actualization of who I was riding with hitting me. I felt the horse slow down and Snow looked back at me, concern within her gaze as her eyes locked on mine.

"You alright?"

I nodded before lifted my head high.

"Just startled myself is all, dear." A twitch her brow told me that she wasn't buying that excuse, yet she turned back around. "How long was I out?"

"I'd say about an hour. I'm surprised you fell asleep though after that adrenaline rush."

I laughed lightly as I hesitantly placed my hands on her waist just for security, feeling rather awkward.

"Adrenaline rush? I was about to have a heart attack when I thought—" _when I thought you were going to leave me. _"When I thought we were going to be captured."

I couldn't bear to admit how dependent I had become on the woman. I should have hated her, yet the longer time dragged on such thoughts were getting mixed in the haze.

"Never doubt my ability to slip from the radar." Although she was faced forward, I could tell she was grinning. Her sense of invincibility was endearing. "We're here."

_Where?_ I asked myself, but then saw the people up ahead. We trotted onwards until we got to the entrance of the village and then hopped down. Sliding up her hood, Snow led the horse over to one of the stables, giving the boy the last bit of coin she had to hold him until we got back. The last thing we needed was a huge horse to draw attention towards us.

"You do realize that was the last bit of gold we had right?" I asked wearily.

She reached into her bag and pulled out a finely sewn pouch, a large grin painting her face.

"I thought that our little plan was in vain until I saw what was in this bag."

She opened it up and I peered inside, my eyes widening when I saw a large diamond ring that was clearly something or worth.

"How much do you think we'll get?" I asked her.

"Plenty," she replied before grabbing my hand and leading us through the village.

The village was a small one and the architecture wasn't extravagant at all. It was simply a village on the outskirts of the mountain trying to get by. Many of the people looked as if they worked far too hard and still came out penniless. A felt a string of my heart being pulled and I had to force myself to look away.

With a bit of scouting around, Snow was able to find something equivalent to the black market which was always searching for anything valuable, stolen or not. The man that she was trying to bargain with was grouchy and far too greedy for my liking. He wore a gruesome scar that was etched from the top of his cheek and down across his lip and his teeth were a sordid yellow.

"Where'd ya get it from?" he asked as he held the ring up close to his eye.

"Does it matter?" Snow asked, crossing her arms.

"Not really. Was jus' curious," he placed the ring back onto the table, "two-hundred."

His first offer for the ring had Snow appalled and she almost hit the table in rage.

"You're kidding me."

"The Evil Queen has left us with squat, lady," he huffed through a raspy voice after his second offer, "Take it or leave it."

"Come on. Can't you do a little better than that? We're all struggling here."

I watched as she negotiated with him as kindly as possible. It was quite astonishing. If it had been me doing this I would have merely demanded the coin along with a death threat, but what use would a peasant without magic be?

After a long, hard thought he agreed on the price. It wasn't nearly the amount we were hoping for, the diamond itself was worth at least double, but it would still get us by for awhile.

We made our way without further quarrel, not wishing to draw anymore attention than necessary. I stuck by her side in fear that I may get lost. My castle may have been huge, yet I could walk the halls with my eyes closed. However, here I knew that one misstep and I wouldn't be able to find my way back. These were unfamiliar grounds to me and it made me miss my real life more than ever.

I knew that people recognized us as we passed by, well actually Snow; to them I was a nobody. However, no one made the effort to alert anyone. It wasn't a fear of what Snow could do; she wouldn't harm them anyways. Actually, it was as if they admired her which I couldn't exactly fathom.

"I can't believe he ripped you off like that," I said as we walked to each vendor we could find for supplies.

"These are hard times. Ever since Regina took reign she let most of the villages devour itself from the inside out. It's a wonder that these people survive."

It was a stab to the heart, if I even had one. I could hear the spite in her voice as she was most likely wondering how someone could be so cruel. The urge to stand up for myself gripped me, but I bit my tongue. It was not the time for such things.

My eyes wandered across the display of hide that lined one of the tables and fell upon a surprisingly beautiful black fur cloak. Passing it off, I tried to focus solely on the items the princess was negotiating on. She smiled, pleased with the price, and took the bundled up items and slid them into her bag.

"Get it," I heard a soft voice whisper into my ear, sending a chill down my spine. I turned my head to the side to see that the young brunette's face was merely a few inches from mine. My hand had somehow wandered back over to the cloak, my finger running small circles through the fur.

"What?" I shook my head to rid the clouds.

"Go ahead and get it," she nodded towards the dark cloak.

I eyed it for a long moment, marveling at how soft it was beneath my skin. The merchant came over as Snow asked for the price.

"One-hundred gold," replied the fur-clad woman.

My stomach turned knowing that that was almost a quarter of the money we just attained. Quickly pulling my hand away, I turned away feeling a bit upset. Times were hard, but that didn't mean people had to rip you off everywhere you turned. Though that was something I could solely blame on myself for allowing the lands to fall into such ruin.

"Thank you," I heard someone say from behind and before I had a chance to turn, I felt something being placed around my shoulders. My hands reached up and found the soft, black fur, my eyes widening.

"Snow!" I gasped and turned around on my heels.

Her lip was pulled between her teeth, a smile lighting up her face and she laughed.

"It looks good on you."

"But…the gold—"

"—it's fine, Wilma," she reached out and took hold of my hands, a spark traveling up my arms from the contact, "I wanted to get it for you…as a gift."

"A gift?"

She squeezed my hand while nodding, "for staying with me."

Her hands didn't leave mine and I found that I couldn't pull away either. I became suddenly entranced by the endearing hazel eyes that were looking into mine. And in that moment it was as I had never been the Evil Queen. It wasn't myself at all. I was simply a traveler, passing by, yet the way Snow was looking at me made me feel as if I was worth so much more than all the gold in the world.

Just as I was beginning to cherish the moment, my ears picked up a familiar voice, and my head darted towards the right. In sudden haste I gripped the brunette's hand and yanked her to the nearest corner behind a building.

"Wilma!" she hissed in surprise.

"Shhh!" I clamped my hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.

I removed my hand and peeked around the corner, confirming what I had seen. Allowing Snow to look in the direction I pointed, she let out a low curse as she spotted the blonde haired man talking to one of the villagers.

That particular person he was talking to shook their head at some question and he continued his interrogations. Meanwhile another conversation caught my ears on the other end of the building and I slowly crept that way.

"You think something has happened to her?" one man said.

"I hope to the Heaven's that somethin' _did_ happen to 'er!" the other one spat, his words slurring from too much alcohol, "Deserves 'er right for all of the hell she's caused us."

"What about that woman she claims murdered the king? Do you believe any of it?"

"I could cer less 'bout her. All I cer about is that wretched Evil Queen bein' burned at the fuckin' stake."

As if I could feel the said flames engulfing me, I flinched and stepped away from the men, drawing my cloak closer to me as if they would know who I was. So my disappearance had been noticed finally? My chest was twisting and turning with a mixture of rage and sorrow, but it quickly faded as my back bumped into Snow. She gave me a funny look when I turned around and I wasn't sure what exactly it was for.

"He's gone for now," she said in a hushed tone, "Let's go fetch the horse and get out of here while we can."

* * *

When we reached the stables we found that our horse was gone. Or to put it in other words our stolen horse had been taken back. The prince had most likely given the stable boy a large some of money to release the horse; the boy would have been a fool not to take the offer.

The loss was unfortunate since it meant our journey would only be getting harder. I had been looking forward to not having to tread through the ice and snow on foot. Alas, we were back to square one, but at least had the supplies we needed.

Sneaking out of the city, we headed towards the mountain path, only the items in the single bag to our name and the clothes that clung to our skin. I held the cloak close against me and found myself walking closer to the brunette as we treaded onward into a trekking journey that I was definitely _not_ looking forward to.

In the depths of my head I could hear myself screaming that I needed to get back to the castle before something dire happened in my absence, yet I was far from it. There was no turning back anymore and I wasn't so sure that I would want to if given the chance. It was an odd thought, but I pushed it aside, saving such thoughts for another day.


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N Words cannot describe how terribly sorry I am for this delay. I'm not used to actually being busy with my life and as a consequence I haven't had as much time to think about various ideas. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'll be going on vacation Wednesday and won't be back til Monday. This being said I will definitely not be updating any of my stories during said duration. I would like to thank you all for your reviews and the few of you that even took the time to ask if I was still continuing this. Even though I am a huge Swan Queen shipper this story is by far my favorite I think. Thank you for your patience and I hope the progression in this story isn't too slow or vice versa._**

**_Please let me know what you think at the end of this :)_**

**_if you want to, I suggest checking out Pale and Frozen by Within Temptation. As I was writing they reminded me of Regina a lot and her situation._**

_"I can't feel my senses  
I just feel the cold  
All colors seem to fade away  
I can't reach my soul  
I would stop running, if knew there was a chance  
It tears me apart to sacrifice it all but I'm forced to let go"_

_~Within Temptation_

We had been hiking up the side of the mountain for about a week now, stopping when the light of day decided to leave us. As I had thought it would have, the temperatures continued to drop the higher we ascended. According to Snow, the path we were taking looped through the vastness of the mountain and directly cut through at points. It would take at least another few weeks until we reached the other side.

In all of my life I had never seen such a beautiful display of the land, the way the land rolled and seemed to never end and how the foliage of the evergreen contrasted with the snow that covered the ground. Noticing my intrigue with Mother Nature, Snow decided that we would make camp on the edge of the mountain that overlooked a valley. After helping with the tent and the fire, I sat upon a log and glanced down below noticing how different parts of the Earth changed color depending on whether it was used for farming or other purposes.

A small village sat in the distance, the barely visible smoke from a chimney rising from a few houses. I began to wonder what the people there were doing. Were they happy? Did they have a family? It was strange. During my reign, I had never taken a second to ponder upon such things, yet ever since I had been exposed to the reality of life my mind seemed to be slowly evolving.

I flinched when my mind wandered back over those two drunken men spitting my name as if it were vermin. Had I really destroyed that many lives for everyone to hate me? Wasn't power supposed to grant me with everything? It gave me everything but love.

The soft rustle of frozen leaves crunched from behind me, yet I had felt her presence behind me long before she perched on the log. A saw her gaze at me from the corner of my eyes, yet my own remained fixed on the valley bellow.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked me, lacing her fingers in front of her.

"That it is. I don't believe I've ever seen something as mesmerizing."

"Me either."

When I turned my head, hazel eyes were still looking at me tenderly, and I felt my cheeks grow warm. Still, she said nothing and only smiled, before turning to look out over the land. We sat there for what seemed like ages, watching as the light blue horizon was painted over with an orange glow only to soon fade into the dark blackness.

With this darkness brought on the brightest stars I had ever seen in my life. Thousands of gems sparkled in the night like candles, watching over us in silence. It was then that a streak of light flashed across the sky, and I found myself wishing for something I hadn't thought about in ages. Peace.

* * *

The temperature inside of the tent was better than outside, yet only by a fraction. The cold still seeped through the fabric as if it were nothing. At least it kept us safe from the winds when they swept through. I stared into the nothingness ahead of me, tired, yet rather disturbed by the dream I had awoken from. My heart twisted with clashing emotions as my mind swirled with so many questions, yet one in particular.

What was I doing?

My first intentions involving Snow seemed to have fallen into the ash and arising from them was something new, yet not even I could decipher it. I had fallen into this role of deceit for so long that I was starting to believe it all myself. At this point I was even questioning my ulterior motives and if they even existed anymore.

Sitting up, I looked off to my side to see Snow sleeping soundly, her face innocent as if she were a child once more. A dark strand had fallen over her and I reached out my hand to move it away, yet stopped only an inch from her face. What _was_ I doing?

I pushed myself up and slipped out of the tent, shivering when the cold air hit my face. The air was crisp as I took in a large breath. The disturbing dream from only minutes ago had stained my eyes with its vivid visualizations.

I still saw her heart in my hands, dripping with warm blood. It spilled over onto the blanket that she clung onto, begging for me not to kill her, yet as I stared into her pale face, my hand squeezing sharply, I couldn't do it. I couldn't give it that last amount of pressure that would send her off into the land of the dead.

The grass was frozen when I sat down upon it, yet I paid no mind to it. My hands went to my face, rubbing at my tired eyes and begging the vision to fade away, yet it remained. Isn't that what I wanted the most? Snow's beating heart in my hands? My body visibly cringed and I glanced back at the tent knowing that I could so easily finish what I came here to do.

Instead, I pulled the fur jacket closer against me and leaned back against the chilly earth and stared up at the stars. My fingers instinctively began to trace patterns in the soft fur, finding a soothing comfort in such a simple action. Never mind the bitter wind sweeping through the trees and wrapping around my entire being. I was used to the cold, or at least I should have been with no heart, yet I shivered.

* * *

I was up before the brunette this morning, or at least that's what Snow thought. In fact I hadn't gotten more than an hour of sleep. Every time my eyes would close, I'd fade into a terrifying world of blood and pain, at times my own.

In my wakefulness I decided to make breakfast which really was just a mixture of fruits I found in the area. Unlike most ordinary people, I was able to discern the difference between edible and poisonous, having practiced with potion-making for the last several years.

The morning remained quiet, save for the small talk when Snow made her way out of the tent. Her hair was knotty from sleep and as she stretched out her limbs I found myself watching attentively. Hazel eyes met mine with a kind, "morning," yet I only replied with a small smile that I could muster up.

If I had been able to look in a mirror I would have most likely found dark bags hanging under my eyes. Speaking of mirrors, I couldn't even remember the last time I saw my own reflection. As far as I knew I could have been the flawless queen, yet I knew that to be false. Just by simply looking at my hands, the dirt built up under my nails, I knew I would never be the same person that started out on this journey.

"You sleep alright, Wilma?"

"Well enough," I muttered a bit colder than usual, brushing my hair out with my fingers.

She gave me a look before averting her gaze to the sky which had, upon the dawning, appeared white.

"I believe we shall be seeing snow soon," she acknowledged.

I frowned in response. Could it get any colder?

"What do you suggest then?"

"We get moving. The faster we get through these mountains, the safer it will be. I'd rather not get stuck in a bad blizzard."

I opted to carry the bag, yet in return I chose to grant her with silence. Snow's eyes darted around the forest, listening to the birds sing their morning song. It seemed that she had her own connection with them and for a moment I envied her. I wish I had a way to distract my own mind.

The brunette's lips pursed several times, wishing to break the silence. However, the cold mask I wore upon my face seemed to dissuade her. I could feel the distance between as if an ice-made wall had been built around us from my own doing. I knew I should have said something, but was it needed? I didn't owe her anything.

_She is not your friend_, I told myself, _No. of course she isn't._ I then was reminded of just a week ago when she had gifted me with this jacket I was currently wearing. It shouldn't have meant a thing, yet it touched my heart in a way I couldn't explain. She wasn't my friend. Perhaps. Though to her it seemed I was.

"What is your plan once we get through these dreadful mountains?"

My voice made her jump in surprise.

"I don't really know."

"You don't have any plans to align yourself with the near kingdom? Slip your way inside in order to get back at the Queen?"

"Why would I do that?" The hurt in her voice made me turn to look at her. Had she never thought of that? "I have little desire to avenge what has been done to me."

"You can't truly mean that?"

She stopped dead in her tracks suddenly and turned to face me. Her brow furrowed as her jaw tensed, something akin to irritation flittering across her features.

"Why not? Vengeance is not the path I wish to travel. One thing will lead to another and it will all circle into my downfall. I do miss my father; I miss him terribly, yet I can do nothing to bring him back just as I can't with my mother. I shall not stain their name in blood," she shook her head, "they wouldn't want that. All I want is for all to be forgiven, yet I know she could never forgive me."

"What you did couldn't be that bad."

"It was. If it wasn't for me being so naïve…no, never mind. It's all in the past. I have you by my side and that is all I need."

My heart skipped for a second and with a quick glance I saw that her cheeks had flushed. I shook my head and began to walk again, my muscles screaming at me from lack of sleep. Not even five minutes later I let out a rather large yawn which I have to admit was embarrassing. The day had just begun; I shouldn't have been tired.

There was a large rustle in the bushes around me and my first instinct was to grab hold of my sword that I had recently strapped to my side for protection. Ever since we had escaped the prince's grasp I had been very tense, assuming they were lurking behind every corner ready to capture me and burn me alive once they found out who I was.

In my hysteria, I heard Snow laughing loudly behind me. My eyebrows furrowed in bewilderment until a deer came leaping across the path followed by a few others. I sighed.

_Well, that was awkward._

"Jumpy, are we?" Snow teased and I rolled my eyes.

"I thought that…that maybe…"

"They aren't following us, I promise. If they were, they would have already had us in shackles."

She stepped in front of me and placed a hand over mine that was still gripping my sword, having forgotten it was even in my hand. Despite the cold, her hand was warm as she slowly pried my fingers away and sheathed it as if I was incapable. Soon enough, I was gazing into worried eyes as her hand still remained on mine.

"You've been acting strange. Is everything okay?"

"Swell, dear."

I went to rip my hand away and walk around her, to walk away from a strange feeling that was arising inside of my chest, yet her grasp tightened.

"How much sleep did you get last night?"

"What does it matter?" I snapped, reverting back to the cold woman I knew how to play so well.

Her next actions had me holding my breath, or perhaps I had involuntarily stopped breathing altogether. She pressed a warm palm against my cheek affectionately while stepping into my personal space. I was fine with breaking all barriers with strangers, jumping into their space with furry, yet when she did so I found I was unable to move.

"Because I care about you, Wilma. Why won't you understand that?"

"You shouldn't," my intended snarl came out as a mere whisper, "you don't know who I am."

Her thumb circled my burning cheek.

"Then let me in. I know what it's like not being able to trust anyone. I may not know you well enough, but I do know you've been hurt. I can see it in your eyes when I look at you and you know what? That's okay. Pain helps people to grow. Just let me in, as I have you, and I promise I won't deceive you."

I bit back a painful choke that arose in my throat. How could I do this to her? How could I have let this companionship grow to the extent it had?

"You don't know what you're walking into," I informed her.

"That's okay. I like an adventure."

She winked before sliding her hand away. Instantly, I yearned for the warmth again as the rush of the cold flooded back in against my cheek. Pressing a hand to my temples, I tried not to think of the disastrous journey I had joined. Rumpelstiltskin had no role in this; at least not anymore. He only provided me with a disguise that _I _had asked for. Whatever was to come was to be blamed on me whether I wanted to admit to it or not.


	7. Chapter 7

**_A/N Please, please forgive me for this slow update and this short chapter. I haven't had much time to write recently and when I did, my muse ran off without me. This chapter was meant to be longer and not cut where I left it, but I decided since I'm taking forever to write it I'll just go ahead and post. I do hope you'll stay with me through this story. Thank you for all of you that have taken time to review and the ones who have asked if I'm still writing this. I never would have expected this to be one that people are actually interested in. In any case, I hope you continue to enjoy this story as it unfolds._**

**_There isn't too much in this chapter which I apologize for, but I promise it's leading up to something. ;)_**

_"I'm not unique in this  
It's based on none but my mistake  
At night I lie awake  
Thinking of all the hearts I'd happily break"_

_~ Emilie Autumn, Willow_

"How much longer?" I groaned, the bottoms of my feet sore and most likely bleeding if I were to peel off my boots.

"I dare say, I'm not sure."

"What do you mean you're not sure?" my head twisted with break-neck speed as I snapped vehemently at her, yet she didn't flinch.

"I could say one thing, yet it could be changed with the oncoming weather."

I rolled my eyes and picked up my pace. There was a sudden rush of wind before I felt her hand trying to stop me.

"Wilma, I'm sorry."

"For dragging me out into this frozen oblivion? So you should be! If you had any idea who I was then you would have never even dared to cross my path."

"You wish that I would have let you die?"

"You should have."

I shoved her hand away

"That wasn't what I asked."

I turned around so that I was nose to nose with the brunette woman, staring directly into her eyes, my head held high. My hand flexed on instinct and if I had the ability I would have set her flesh ablaze. If I had my magic I wouldn't be stuck in this godforsaken hell in the first place.

"I don't want your pity."

Her hazel eyes captured mine, laced with confusion as well as something I couldn't comprehend. Her brow was pulled together and her lips moved to say something else. However, I didn't allow such a thing.

I stormed off into the woods as far away from Snow as I possibly could, for I would have done something dire; I would have hurt her, perhaps killed her and therefore left myself stuck without a way home. My mind began swirling with the images from last night. The lost, frozen hole inside of my chest became prominent once more as that overwhelming sickness overtook me.

Before I even had the chance to stop myself, there was a burning pain in my knuckles, yet I didn't stop. My fist hit into the bark of the innocent tree once again with as much force as I could muster, imagining it to be everyone in my life that I hated. It was my mother; she was the reason I became this way. It was Rumpelstiltskin; he taught me how to possess this darkness. And then it was me; I let the darkness creep in and I let it overtake me. I let it wrap its seductive smoke around me until there was no more light, until all that was left was a charred heart inside of my chest that hardly possessed a beat.

I was so out of character, but I wasn't the Evil Queen. I wasn't even Regina. I was Wilma without a last name. Without a true story. I was nothing but a lie.

I missed my clothes. My castle. My bed…

_Yet not the loneliness_, a voice whispered inside of my head and I tried to push it away. However, those words caused the fire flicker, the light inside of me dim. My anger dissipated like a snuffed out candle flowing through the air.

"Wilma!" I heard from afar, yet I refused to move, "My god. There you are."

There wasn't even energy left inside of me to roll my eyes. I squeezed my eyes shut while clutching onto my hand, the intense pulse the only reason I knew I had a heartbeat, and begged just to vanish away from here. What was this woman doing to me?

Her hand was touching my shoulder once again, the gesture I had acquainted with comfort, yet it burned this time as if embers were sinking into my flesh. It wasn't painful; there was no exact word for it, but I knew I had to get away from it. Whenever she...whenever I felt her hand upon me, there was a lasting sensation when she pulled away. If I let it grow, if I unlocked what it truly meant, I feared I would never turn around. I would lose everything that I ever worked for. My kingdom. My power. My self.

She was speaking to me, trying to get me to understand that this journey was never meant to cause suffering, but the words went in one ear and right out the other.

"We better get moving," I muttered, looking towards the sky with a knowing that something bad was ahead. As if it would make any difference, I wanted to get as far as possible before it came.

She looked at me once again with concern, but kept her lips sealed.

* * *

This ebb and flow of events between Snow and I was becoming unbearable and my mind was becoming a lethal bomb, ready to detonate at any time. What would happen in the event of such was unknown.

It was nearing time, once again, to settle down for the night. In a way I wished that we would just keep walking to get this over with, yet at the same time my feet begged otherwise. Besides, what was to come when we reached the other side? I didn't have much of plan anymore, for every time I would delve into the depths of my mind I would find the visual dreadful to the point in which I could not stand.

What if I couldn't get back home once I ridded myself of the former princess? I had to look on the bright side which was odd in itself to say. That must have been the imps plan. He wanted me to find out all I could and rid Snow by myself before my disguise was blown. But what was in it for him?

An unappealing waft passed through the air jerking my thoughts to a halt as well as alerting me that the woman beside me had been speaking the entire time.

"What is that god awful stench," I blatantly interrupted some story about a run-in with bandits. I pinched my nose together with my fingers trying to rid my nostrils of something that was similar to rotting eggs.

"I don't know," she replied, "but I think it's time we settle down."

"Why now?"

"As much as you'd like to think you can travel on a bit longer, I think you have hit your mark."

"Excuse me?"

"Wilma, you're tired. You can try to hide it all you want, but I know you are. You've been rubbing at your feet every time we stop so for your sake let's just camp here."

In fact, _tired_ wasn't the word for my current predicament. I was absolutely exhausted to the point where I wanted to fall on my face. All I wanted to do was crawl into our tent and sleep. _Our_ tent…What an odd way to put it…

"Must we _here_?" I paused for a moment to scrunch up my nose.

She held my gaze hard and long. I should have been able to keep my mask, yet it came crumbling down into the dirt. She was looking at me with the same face from only a few hours ago filled with such deep concern. Why couldn't I hide anymore? I gave a burlesque eye roll and let out a sigh before wrinkling my nose at the ever growing smell that surrounded us.

"Can you set up while I go grab some wood?"

Even though I thought I had made it fairly clear I could go on, she read me like an open book. Without waiting for a response, she headed out into the vast foliage leaving me to my thoughts once more.

I sighed and let the supply bag fall lazily onto the grass. I'd get to unpacking in just a second. For the moment I lifted my hand to examine my knuckles carefully, now being the only time I was truly alone; a frown formed upon my lips at the array of dark colors that marred my skin along with several scrapes from hitting the bark with a heavy amount of force. It had been so long since I used _actual _force rather than magic and I wasn't welcoming the ache.

I sighed and slouched against a nearby tree, my back making a thud as it came in contact with the bark. _I just want to go home._ I didn't want to think about what I was doing. Never had I had such trouble ripping out someone's heart. Never had I actually have to stop and think whether it was right or not…at least not since the first time I tried to take the heart of my steed.

I was just about to push myself into action and set up camp, but then there came a sudden rustling in the bushes. My hand slipped onto the hilt of my sword, but before I had the chance to even draw it, I heard a familiar voice.

"Wilma!" it wasn't a sense of alarm as one would expect when someone comes flying into your camp even though I was fairly certain only a few minutes had passed. Therefore, Snow hadn't gotten nearly enough wood if any at all. So why was she back? "Wilma," she shouted again and for a second again I forgot that was me. There was a bright smile on her face as if she had just walked into a cavern of diamonds, "You have to come see what I found."

Her hand was unexpectedly wrapped around my bruises causing me to flinch as she pulled me through the bushes. The weird smell grew as we approached whatever it was she had found and when we finally arrived, my eyes grew wide.

"Is that a…?"

"Natural hot springs? Yea it is."

Suddenly I was smiling like an idiot. When was the last time I had washed this filthy grime off? Come to think of it, I never had. The dirt had built up under my nails and my hair was greasy to no end.

I pulled my hand away from hers as I took a step forward, leaning down to dip my hand into the all-too-soothing water, but not before I jumped at my reflection. There was a woman with raggedy, dark dreads and barely pink lips staring back at me. Her eyes were dark, but not from charcoal or shadow; my insomnia had really taken its toll on me. I watched a pale hand raise and press against her cheek, fingers now warm from the water. She was _me_. That was _me._

**_A/N Please leave a review. If there's anything you feel I'm leaving out or should add I'm up for suggestions. I love hearing what everyone has to say regardless of what it may be [so long as you're kind about it]_**


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N As a special gift to you all, I quickly wrote up the next scene. I am extremely surprised at the amount of reviews that particular story has gotten, especially the quick response on the last chapter. I have the next chapter planned out and I hope to get that out soon as well, but I'm not making any promises. Thank you all for your kind reviews :) They really mean a lot. I'm sorry about the cliffhanger..._**

_"I've been taking chances,  
I've been setting myself up for the fall,  
I've been keeping secrets,  
From my heart and from my soul"  
~ Florence & the Machine, Lover to Lover_

I didn't have to turn around to hear the sound of clothing hitting the ground. There came shuffling followed by a similar noise of what was probably trousers, but I couldn't turn around. It was far warmer here than the surrounding area as if there was a little bubble of serenity enclosing us. I would have loved to bask in its glory; however, my mind was being preoccupied.

"What are you doing?" I asked warily without turning, for I knew if I did I would find an almost skin-clad woman staring back at me.

"Getting in?" she made it sound as if I had asked the most absurd thing in the world.

I turned abruptly to keep myself from taking even one curious look at the brunette when she glided past me. She proceeded then by dipping her foot into springs to test the warmth, a soft smile forming on her face. Once I heard the sound of water rippling, I spun back in place, catching a glimpse of pale shoulder blades before they were disguised by the water.

"Are you going to join?" the question was sincere, yet when I caught hold of her blue-green eyes there resided a glimmer of something more. I must have been imagining it, and I shook my head.

"I…no, I think I'm well right here, dear."

"Don't be that way," she frowned, meanwhile cupping her hands to fill them with water and splashing it onto her face, "When was the last time we got to actually unwind? The water is absolutely perfect."

"I'm very tired, Snow," my hand went to my head to emphasize an oncoming headache, "I'll go and set up camp."

I pivoted on my heels, but just as I was about to head back off to where our camp was, I heard her sigh. Alas, this wasn't a sigh of being pleased with the hot, calming waters. On the contrary, this one entwined with confusion and almost sadness. I knew if I were to look at her again, I would see an array of emotions that would cause my walls to crumble down to the ground below my feet, if not slip further into the Earth where I couldn't rebuild.

She cared for this woman far too much for my liking. This _Wilma._ This persona I had made up that was meant to gain me secrets, not feelings. I would come to regret this moment later on, or at least that is what I would make myself believe.

My slender hands pulled at the fur that covered my shoulders and slid it down, delicately folding the material before setting it only the ground. I went for my shirt next, yet when my hands hit the worn material I froze. I shouldn't have felt paranoid. I shouldn't have felt anxious to show my body on display, for I knew what I was. I was flawless. Yet at the same time I was worried that the disguise may have affected that part of myself as well and I felt vulnerable.

My beauty and power had always been my strengths and here I was without either.

Perhaps Snow sensed my worry in a way because she began to swim around in the opposite direction. I found myself staring at her for longer than necessary, studying the pale shoulders from afar as her arms stretched outward to pull herself forward.

I quickly discarded the rest of my clothes, folding them neatly, and made my way towards the hot springs. The odd aroma was still in the air, but fortunately I had grown used to it. I dipped my feet inside the water and a sudden shiver of temperature difference ran through me. It felt more amazing than I could have imagined. It had been over a month since I was able to bathe in such warmth. It was hot against my skin, yet not enough to burn. My eyelids closed and I completely submerged myself, allowing my raggedy hair to soak up as much of the water it could. It was when I finally finished combing my fingers through my hair that found each other's eyes once more.

Snow's lips pulled into a kind smile that seemed to depict more than kind words. It was meant to calm down the racing of my heart yet it only made it speed up. What was going on? I pursed my lips before diving into the watching, giving a much needed stretch to my tense muscles. Her eyes were following me; I felt them burning into my skin.

There was only the sound of the water splashing around and the silence of the mountain as we waded in the water, thanking whatever god that existed for this pleasant surprise. It was a much needed break from this endless journey. The sun was beginning to set in the sky casting a lovely hue against the misty water.

"I wish you would let me in."

At the sudden sound of her voice, my heart jumped to my throat and I looked at her from a few feet away.

"I beg your pardon?"

"What's going on inside that mind of yours?" she asked as she began to swim towards me. I tried to back up, yet was met by an edge.

I took a deep inhalation of breath while silently imploring with my eyes not to come any closer, yet she continued on. It wasn't until she was a little than a foot that she came to a halt. The same breath I had been taking in stopped within my lungs and I held it there, nearly begging my heart to stop pounding. I didn't understand why this was happening.

My eyes roamed over the exposed skin, everything below the shoulders being obscured by the shifting water, yet there was no denying we were both bare. Why was she so close to me? I swear if she came any closer I wouldn't be able to cope.

"Let me in," she whispered, "I can help you."

"No you can't," I shifted my gaze to a random tree in the distance, "If you knew the images in my mind, if you truly understood who I am, you would run as far away from me as you could, my dear Snow."

"That's not true."

I watched her pale hand rise from the water to set upon my cheek and I quickly grabbed it only to pull it away.

"You will once we reach your destination."

"What do you mean?"

"We'll part ways and go on with our lives."

The serene look that graced her beautiful face fell into the dark and I was almost the one to reach out and pull her chin up to eyes height. However, I remained still, yet my other hand was still clutching hers as if to prevent her from drawing closer.

"I had…I had the idea that maybe," she laughed bashfully as her cheeks turned rosy, "That maybe you'd accompany me well after our journey through the mountains ended."

It took quite a long time for the words to process through my brain. The wheels began to slowly turn, yet screeched with warnings of danger. I should have stopped her then with a typical reply.

_Why on Earth would I ever do that? Are you out of your mind?_

Nevertheless, I remained frozen in place regardless of how hot the water was that was resided in.

"I mean, why would I have dragged you all the way out here? To accompany me only to throw you away?"

I became away of my hand still pressed against hers and I drew back instantly as if it were a flame. Hazel eyes watched me sadly, but caught hold of something peculiar.

"Wilma, what happened?"

Her hand grabbed the same one I tried to pull away and pulled it close to study it. The hot springs may have been able to heal my tenseness, yet the bruise and scratches that still marred my knuckles remained.

"Nothing," I muttered, trying to rip away, but she held me by the wrist. It wasn't a tight restraint. If I truly wanted to I could break free.

"That is not _nothing_. What did you do?" I granted her silence while her finger slowly traced over the still slightly swollen skin. "You should have told me. These cuts could have gotten infected."

"They're just mere scrapes."

"It doesn't matter, Wilma. Little or not, an infection is an infection. As much as I like your company, I don't want _sick_ company."

"You're right," I blatantly admitted for the first time looked down. It was slow, but her fingers entwined around mine.

"I wish you would trust me like I've come to trust you."

Slender fingers found my chin and tilted it up until I was looking into her eyes. My stomach was churning with her words. This wasn't right. None of this was right. As she pushed herself even closer to me, I couldn't think straight. There was an all-consuming warmth spreading throughout my body but it wasn't from the hot water. I tried to chase it away with ill thoughts, but the more I ran the more intense the heat grew, and before I knew it I felt soft lips pressing against mine.

I should have stopped it but I couldn't. The heat burned away every voice inside of my head and soon enough I found my own lips moving against hers in a gentle motion. Her lips were soft. Far softer than I ever imagined. And I couldn't stop. I hadn't been kissed like this in years and it was invigorating.

But then all of a sudden, as soon as her arms were beginning to draw me closer, I pulled away. I pushed her away with a sudden jolt as if Hades' very own hands had touched me with blistering fire. The world that had stopped spinning for the moment suddenly began to topple over and I was falling into a deep abyss that I had to escape.

I heard her calling after me as I pulled myself from the water, grabbing hold of my clothes and wrapping my jacket around me tightly. What had I just done?

"Wilma, wait!" I heard from behind me, yet I marched forward towards our camp. My mind was swirling with so many mixed emotions that I couldn't even begin to decipher.

I was confused. I was angry. _This wasn't supposed to happen._


End file.
